5 TV Shows That Made Me Want to be a TV Scriptwriter

I had no idea I wanted to be a screenwriter until I went to university to study television. I actually had no idea I wanted to work in the industry at all, but I knew TV was my 'thing'. I watched much more TV than the average person (something my parents loved to remind me of) and even when I wasn't watching it, I was thinking about it! So, I went off to uni to study it. The course was a great opportunity to discuss TV with likeminded people and learn all about what goes on behind the scenes, from directing a live format show to producing a documentary short or… writing a drama script. I enjoyed learning about all aspects of the industry but when I sat down to write my 5-page comedy excerpt for my screenwriting seminar, all I could think was, “why haven’t I been doing this the whole time?”. It turns out I’d actually been thinking about it for years. In fact, my subconscious had been trying to push me in the right direction ever since I was ten years old. I remember standing in Waterstones, wide eyed, staring up at a giant, hardback copy of Russel T Davies’ 2005 shooting scripts for series one of Doctor Who in absolute awe. It was the first time I felt like I HAD to own a book. I wasn’t much of a reader as a kid, but I must have watched that BBC series 10 times over. Looking back, what did a 10-year-old want with a collection of scripts, annotated by the author? Well, it turns out, that book was my introduction to storytelling.

1. Doctor Who (BBC 2005-)

(Doctor Who promo poster, series one, BBC 2005)

The adventures in time and space of an alien adventurer called The Doctor and their companions from planet earth.

As I mentioned above. 10-year-old Remy was a diehard DW fan and this obsession continued until I was about 18. I don’t think I grew out of it, but I just no longer felt the show had the heart and the gumption that it once did. Having said that, for me, this show has always been and will always be one of the most important drama’s on British television, and here’s why: Doctor Who’s message, for people of all ages, is to always chose to be kind.

There are plenty of other reasons this show is brilliant. It’s imaginative, exciting, inclusive and encourages self-acceptance, but for me, kindness has always been at its core. The starting point for the revival in 2005 was clearly born from Russel T Davies’ own views and visions for the future. Davies put his heart into a show that families all across the globe would come together to watch and learn from. To this day, I’ve always found that incredibly powerful. Tackling important human issues whilst also making people laugh and bringing joy is a really special thing. Reflecting yourself in your work and expressing hope for a better future is something that makes a story feel authentic, even if it’s taking place on another planet.

2. Life on Mars (BBC 2006-2007)

(Life on Mars promo poster, BBC 2006)

After being involved in a car accident in 2006, DCI Sam Tyler wakes up to find himself in 1973.

I was probably much too young to be watching this when it came out, but I did, and it rocked my world. Looking back, the main reason I enjoyed this was because it was similar to Doctor Who in the sense that it was sort of about time travel. The show uses the era of the 1970s to reflect how the world has changed and to test the main character, making his mission to get home even harder. As a fun, gritty, 1970s style cop show, Life on Mars is so easy to get addicted to and the added mystery as to how DCI Tyler has ended up in the 70s is just such a genius story idea. It keeps you watching but it also provides an aspect of comedy as you have a modern man up against the chaos and corruption of 1970s police. It makes you question what you would do if you were in his shoes which ultimately makes you question your morals. Would you stand up against sexism in an overwhelmingly sexist environment? Would you beat the shit out of a man for information if it meant you could get home? Would you become someone you’re not? I just think it’s a really great example of an outside of the box TV idea which is something I’d really love to write one day.

3. Gavin and Stacey (BBC 2007-2010)

(Gavin and Stacey promo, BBC 2007)

Gavin and Stacey decide to form a long-distance relationship after talking online and on the phone for months, but will their families let them?

This show is incredibly funny and brilliantly written. Being able to write dialogue that feels as real and as hilarious as the dialogue in Gavin and Stacey has been a dream of mine since the first time I saw it back in 2007. The beauty of this show is how it manages to resonate with families all over Britain by creating familiar characters and conversations that we can relate to our own lives whilst also being utterly ridiculous. I feel like this show is a real lesson on how to time your comedy and balance your drama. It’s incredible joyful and has so much heart.

4. Orphan Black (BBC America 2013-2017)

(Orphan Black promo, BBC America 2017)

After witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her, Sarah assumes her identity. But she soon discovers a compelling conspiracy that changes her life forever.

The complexity of this show is outstanding! So many storylines! So many characters! So much tension! So much heart! But the thing about this show that truly made my writer brain just astral project my soul out of my body and into a new realm was the intricacy of the characterisation of the clones. So, if you’re unaware, the main characters in this series are clones who are all played by the phenomenal Tatiana Maslany. Each clone is so unique with her own specific way of speaking and interacting with others, but they all feel incredibly connected too. A lot of this is down to Tatiana’s performance because it really is incredible watching this show and forgetting that the 4 characters on screen are all the same actor, but I think the ability to write a story like this in itself, with overlapping characters and storylines, is a real skill. Keeping track of this many characters whilst not losing the audience’s interest in any one storyline is hard to do. The clones impersonate each other and interact with multiple side characters and weave in and out of various B, C and D storylines. It’s complicated! But it’s also easy to follow. And that is what’s so special about this show.

5. Fleabag (BBC 2016-2019)

(Fleabag, BBC 2016)

A dry-witted woman, known only as Fleabag, has no filter as she navigates life and love in London while trying to cope with tragedy.

We all know Fleabag is a global phenomenon and there’s a reason for that. It’s really fucking great. Yes, this series is written by (and is about) a straight, white, middle-class woman, it won’t resonate with everyone, but Fleabag felt like an entirely new form of television when it was first released back in 2016. I personally didn’t relate to the character of Fleabag in many ways at all, but it was the humanity of the show that I connected with. Phoebe Waller-Bridge mixed theatre with comedy with drama and produced something both bizarre and relatable that would make you laugh and cry. This is another example of tackling really important human experiences such as grief in a fresh and engaging way. In my opinion, Fleabag will always be the beginning of a new age of British TV comedy.

To sum up, these are just some of the shows that really made me think about storytelling in a critical and analytical way. They made me want to pick up a pen and write! They excited me! They taught me the importance of writing stories that are important to me and to the world. They say write about what you know, but I think it’s important to write about what matters too.

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